Electric programme-clock



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. MOCASKEY, OF \VAYNESBOROUGII, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC PROGRAMME-CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,854, dated May 27,1890.

Application filed July 26, 1889.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN L. MoCAsKEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at WVaynesborough, in the county of Franklin, State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in.Automatic Electrical Programme-Clocks, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has relation to an improvement in automatic electricalprogrammeclocks, the main object of the invention be ing to provide aseparate programme or programmes for day and night, respectively.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description,

and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in theclaims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a plan of an automatic electricalprogrammeclock constructed in accordance with my invention, showingbattery-connection and Fig. 2 is a cross-section of a portion of theannu lus, showing method of holding the pins. Fig. 3 is a detail of thewheel-support.

Like letters and figures of reference refer to like parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

The dial A of the clock is made either entirely of metal which is anelectrical conductor or of some non-conducting material, having aconducting-rim conductively connected to the strips or lugs A,hereinafter described. The annulus 13, also of conducting material, issecurely fastened to the dial A, and insulated therefrom by any suitablemeans. This annulusispreferably U-shaped in cross-section, and its innerand outer walls are bored through their entire circumference upon theradii extending from the center of the dial for the reception of theadjustable pins B, which are adapted to play freely in their respectiveperforations. These pins are secured firmly in any position by means ofa rubber or other elastic cushion B the tendency of Which is constantlyto press against one surface of the pins. In order to have the bell ringevery five minutes or at any fiveminute space, (as hereinafterdescribed,) there must necessarily be one hundred and fortyfour pairs ofthese perforations. The annulus C, concentric with the annulus B and at-Serial No. 318,735. (No model.)

tached to the dial and insulated therefrom in the same manner as B, isbored upon the radii extending from the center of the dial for thereception of the pins 0, corresponding to the pins B. The elasticcushion C secures the pins firmly in place in the same manner that thecushion B secures the pins B. There are necessarily one hundred andforty-four of these pins, and, although but few of them are shown in thedrawings, it is of course understood that in an operative clock theywill extend entirely around the annulus. Those shown are sufficient forthe purpose of illustrating the invention.

The minute-hand M has near its outer ex tremity, and preferably integraltherewith, the elastic conducting-tip M, which is adapted to strike oneof the lugs A at each five-minute interval. The hour-hand II has two ofthese tips II and H one for each set of pins B and C, respectively. Asthe hour-hand moves only from one five-minute space to another while themin ute-hand is making a complete revolution around the dial, it (thehour-hand) will move from one pin to another in the next five minutes.

The wire G makes connection with the an- .nulus O and through it withthe hour-hand, the wire J with the other annulus, and wire K with thedial and through it with the lugs A, tips M, and the minute-hand.

The wire Nconnects with the binding-post 1 and one post of the bell TV.The wire N connects the other post of the bell and one pole of thebattery Y. The wire N connects the other pole of the battery and theswitch Yeither the post 2 or 3accordingly as it is desired to make thecircuit with the day or night programme circle.

The operation is as follows: In order to have the bell sound at acertaintime, the pin in the path of the hour-hand which corresponds to thattime is pushed out so that the tip H (for the day programme) will strikethe pin when it comes opposite it. If no other time is desired to beannounced, all the other pins are pushed in. WVhen the hour-hand strikesthe one hundred and thirty-ninth pin, counting from the numeral XII inthe direction in which the hands move, electrical connection is madethrough the hand H, tip H, pin 139, annulus B, wire J, binding-post 2,switch Y, wire N battery Y, and wire N with one post of the bell IV.W'hen the minute-hand strikes the lug A opposite the half-hour point,(the numeral VI,) electrical connection is made through the minute-handM, tip M, lug A, dial A, wire K, binding-post 1, and wire N with thesecond post of the bell IV. The'circuit is thus closed throughout, andthe hell or system of bells sounds. It will be seen that the timeindicated is 11:30 a. 111. Any desired time may be announced by simplypushing out the pin corresponding to that time.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact detailsof construction shown and described, as it is evident that many changesmay be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. Thus morethan two annuli may be used, if it is desired to have more than twoindependent programmes. The two shown, however-one for a day and theother for a night program 1neare preferred. The number of pins may bevaried, and also the position of the lugs, if it is desired to have thebell sound other than at five-minute intervals or other multiplesthereof. The tips H and 11 may strike the inner ends of the two sets ofpins or the outer ends of one set and the inner ends of the other set,if desired; also, when the dial is made entirely of conducting materialthe lugs A may be dispensed with, as the circuit is closed directly bythe dial.

I11 order to regulate the amount of pressure of the tips upon the pinsin the concentric circles, I provide a wheel L or tip L, ofnonconducting material, which may run either upon the face of the dialor upon the upper edges of the annuli.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an automaticelectrical programmeclock, an insulated condnoting-annulus,substantially U -shaped in cross-section, bored for the reception ofcontact-making devices, substantially as specified.

2. I11 an automatic electrical programmeclock, a condnoting-annulusbored for the reception of contact-making devices and having a channelfor the reception of elastic material adapted to hold the aforesaidcontact-makin g devices firmly and movably, combined with an elasticcushion in said channel, substantially as specified.

3. In an automatic electrical progrannneclock, the combination, with theannulus f, of the contact-making pins 0, passed through apertures insaid annulus, substantially as specified.

4. In an automatic electrical programmeclock, a minute-hand adapted tomake connection with one post of an electrical bell through theclock-dial, and an hour-hand adapted to make connection with the otherpost of the bell through an annulus bored for the reception ofcontact-making pins held firmly and movably in place by an elasticmedium and through said pin and connecting device, said annulus beinginsulated from the dial, substantially as specified.

5. An automatic electrical programmeclock comprising the dial A,concentric insulated annuli B and 0, having pins 13 and C, respectively,the hands M and II, having the tips M and H and H respectively, andmeans for closing a circuit through either of said annuli, substantiallyas specified.

6. An automatic electrical programmeclock comprising a dial, concentricinsulated annuli having pins or screws, substantially as described, thehand M, having the lip M, the hand II, having tips for striking the pinsin each respective annulus, and means for closing a circuit between thedial and any one of said annuli, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affixmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN L. MCCASKEY.

\Vitn esses:

JAMEs POLLEN, ALF. N. RUssELL.

